“What a beautiful morning”, I say to myself, as Reba, a fine german shepard, runs out the door. I am fueled and ready to run, (ok, jog), 10 minute miles for four hours. My last lsd was 20 M in 3:20 in Denver. I was hoping to be at ten minute miles through four hours and just gut out the last couple of miles.
I was a somewhat concerned about the blisters and numbness I had been feeling in the ball of my left foot for the last month or so but just put it aside.
I am on target through mile 16, but my left foot kept reminding me that a blister was forming. My left calve tightened up, and shortly after so did my right calve. So i am walking / jogging at mile 20, pathetic at M 21 and simply struggling to walk at M 22 where I decided to gingerly walk it in, finishing at 5 flippin hours and change.
I manage to run through the chute and accept acknowledgement of at least finishing. Whoop-de-do.
My wife brings the car around one block to pick me up as my calves are locked. I take off my shoes and there is the biggest blood blister, on my left small toe, that anyone has ever seen. Its runs the entire length of the inside of my toe. A friend, obviously a very good friend, performed surgery, releasing the pressure with a hot needle, not once but three times, within an hour.
I bought 2 pair of Mizunos on “special” from Road Runner Sports about three months ago. Never had a problem with these shoes prior to this. Has my gait changed that much, or do the shoes just suck? Or am I simply too fat? 6’2 200lbs. I went through a gait analysis about 2 years ago where they said I was over pronating, bought the shoe they recommended, and never had a problem untill purchasing the most recent pair of shoes from RR Sports. WTF?
Oh well, if any of you get the chance, despite my physical problems, give this Mary a chance. Its an absolutely beautiful course down a paved mountain road with raging rivers and runoff from the spring thaw running along side of you. Horse ranches, with colts getting their legs, are also a spring board in motivation.
Anywho, I held up lunch with all my peeps. I am really depressed. I have a Yaqui Carbo on the way, training for my 2nd WI IM in September. Am determined to finish under the 16:30 of last year, where I broke my toe comng out of the water. Maybe Tri is just not my game?
I come from a Golden Glove boxing, and high-school championship basketball back ground. (OK, it was high-school in a reform school setting). Maybe I just need to get back to beating all of you up in that venue? But I just love to ride… run, and swim… Maybe its about accepting my personal limitations in this sport and working things through. I dont know, whatcha think?
rock